Dry-kiln.



d Feb. 11, 1919.

EETsc. A. Lohn/IAN, nav-'Kulm APPLICATION FILED JULY 18,1917. l

Patented Feb. 11, 1919.

5 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

z N L O w L- I t f. m E? @wad .n J1 v 4f r 1-1.1114?! Ti fl ,il M n m n W mmm f X 5 Y Patented Fb. 11, 1919.

"5 SHEETS-SHEET 3.'

DRY KILN.

C. A. LOHMAN. l'

C. A. LOHIVIAN.

DRY MLN. APPLICATION` FILED IULY I8 |917- Patented Feb. 11, 1919.

5 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

C. A. LOHMAN.

DRY KILN.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 18.191?. A

` Patented Feb. 11, 19191 5 SHEETS-SHEET 5- l vm m m CARL A. LOAN, OFISEATTLE, WASHINGTON.-

DRY-m.

' lSpecification of Letters Patent. linfatmtd Falli., di, llglild Application filed July 18, 1917. Seriell No. 181,226.

To all 'whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, CARL A. LOHMAN, a

citizen of the United States, and resident of the lumber'and alsoin the convenience of its operation.`

My invention comprises the features which will be particularly dened by the claims.

In the accompanying' drawings I have shown a dry Vkiln having embodied therein the features of my invention.-

Figure 1 is a longitudinal vertical section through a dry kiln.

Fig. 2 is a horizontal section taken through a dry kiln approximately upon the plane indicated by the broken line 2-2 of Fig. 6.

Fig. 3 is a section taken upon the line 3- 3 of Fig. 6.

Y Fig. 4 is a section taken upon the line 4--4 of Fig. 6, but which does not extend to and include the final or discharging end of the Mln.

Fig. 5 is a section on the line 4-4 of' Fig.

W 6,'showing the final or discharging end of the kiln.

Fig. 6 is a- `cross sectional elevation through the section ofthe receiving end of l giilgugh the linalor discharging end of the Fi 9 is a sectionalplan taken beneath they oor level showing the construction of the kiln through the central portion thereof.

Fig. 10A is a sectional plan showing the ifzgnsltruction at1 a levl whifh 1includel the es air supp ying ues o t e isc ar e end of the ,g

In constructing my ln'ln I employ tile, concrete, brick, or other equivalent non-combustible building material for constructing the main )body of the kiln. Such material is used to construct what might be termed a complete kiln, containing the desired 7 is a cross sectional elevationl chambers, iues, etc., and then, with this, I employ anouter casing which is preferably of Wood frame construction. rlhis forms an insulating cover for the kiln and also protects it from the weather,

The kiln, as herein illustrated and described, is of the type which is known as a continuous kiln; that is, the lumber is inserted at one end of the lln and is advanced along the kiln as'it dries and is removed from the opposite end of the kiln. rIhe treatment required by the lumber during the proce of drying should vary at different stages. It should also vary inaccordance Vwith the ln'nd of lumber, that is, the kind of timber from which it is manufactured. Also, in accordance with the `kind of lumber as it comes from dierent'parts of the log and as to whether it is water soaked or partly dried before sawing.

variations in accordance with the position in the log from which the board is out. That is, as to' whether it is radial or tangential to the grain. I, therefore, provide means by which the lumber may be given dierent treatments in accordance with the special requirements.

The different sections of the kiln may be called the receiving section A, which is at the end ofthe kiln at which the lumber is introduced, intermediate section, as B, and the inal or discharging section C, which is at the end from which the lumber is removed. The handling of the lumber in the kiln may be in accordance with the usual practice whereby the lumber is piled upon f trucks and these pass over rails laid in the floor of the kiln. The main body of the `kiln A contains a drying chamber 1 through which -the lumber passes while being dried and a heating chamber 10, which is located beneath the floor of the drying chamber.

For the first or receiving section A, the

`floor 11 of the drying chamber may beomitted, which wouldjoin the drying and the heating chambers. At this stage in the drying of the lumber, it is desirable to vinject steam directly into the kiln so the same may come in contact with the lumber. For this purpose the pipes 2, which are supported upon bars extending transversely of the lower chamber 10, are provided with a certain number of perforations through which steam escapes into the kiln. I provide this section of the kiln with pipes or lues 12 con- There should also be a certain amount of necting with the top of the drying chamber,

,formed inthe fioor which establish direct communication with the upper part of the heating chamber 10 and the ydrying chamber. This-forms a flue or assagev for the air from the heating chamier to the drying chamber. Similar openings are formed t the opposite side of the kiln, but a wall 15 is extended downward along the inner side of this opening so as to form a flue 14 which extends downward alongside the heating chamber to a point where it is beneath the steam pipes which are employed for heating the a1r. At this point it communicates with the heating chamber.

The steam pipes 2 throughout all portions of the kiln excepting the receiving section A, are tight, that is, do not discharge anyv steam directly in the kiln. They are arranged as a horizontal layer resting upon transverse bars 20. TheI air, which is received from thedrying chamber through the ilue 14, is discharged into the heating ch/amber beneath these pipes. This air passes upwardly through these pipes and then through the flue or opening 13 into the drying chamber. These pipes being arranged in a horizontal layer, their effective` ness in heating the air is greaterl than if they were grouped in a plurality of layers through which the air successively passed.

It will be noted that the side walls 3 of the drying chamber are slightly inclined toward each other asthey extend upwardly. In consequence, the space 30 which exists between the side wall of the pile of lumber and the side of the kiln, decreases in width as it goes 1 1 It is contemplated that the lumber to e dried in this kiln shall be piled inl horizontal layers. The heated air coming from the pipes 2 is delivered upwardly at one side of the kiln between the side of the kiln and the pile of lumber. The air Withdrawn from the dryin cham ber to be delivered to the heating c amber, ishtaken from the similar space at the opposite side of the kiln. In consequence, the air will be passed horizontally between the layers of lumber in the pile.

This manner of piling the lumber is a eat deal more convenient than-edge piling. It requires no special apparatus for holding the lumber in shape while drying. The lumber may thus be piled directly upon Lessines the trucks, usingv nothin p in the pile exe layers of lum-- cepting stickers to keep ber apart. It has, therefore, been found a more economical method of handling the lumber than when special apparatus is required and the lumber is piled on edge. Also, the weight of the superposed layers of lumber will hold those beneath them in shape to prevent warping or twisting. The gradual reduction in the cross section 30 at each side of the ile of lumber, has a tendency to compel t e air to pass through the pile of lumber to the opposite side of the lumber, from which it is withdrawn to the heatin chamber.

At the ischarge end of the the section C is provided with fresh' air inlet tlues 4, which draw outside air from thev end of the kiln and discharge the same into the heating chamber through openings 40. That side wall of the kiln, which is at the side from which the ,air is withdrawn to supply the heating chamber in the other sectlons of the klln, is provided with openas in the other, the circulation is through the lumber, from one side of the kiln to the opposite.

In constructing the outer casing I employ vertical studs or posts 6, each of which is of composite construction, consistin three beams or studs placed along insi e of each other. The central member 60, of each of these posts, in its upper part atleast, is inclined inwardly at an angle which corresponds with the angle of inclination of the wall 3. This central member of the post need not, however, extend entireiy to the bottom of the kiln but may stop substantially at the level oi the floor 11, as is shown at 61, in Fig. 7.

The top of the kiln employs transversely extending joists 7 and an outer covering 70, which may be of any suitable construction. The sides of the kiln are also provided with an outer skin 62, which may he of any convenient material, usually of lumber. This outer casing forms an effective insulating cover for the kiln. It forms a number of pockets in which dead air is retained and thus retains the heat of the kiln. The joists 7, which support the roof, are preferably maintained at a slight elevation higher than nadat the so as not to interfere with the -eripansion and extraction of the inner portlon of the kiln by changes in temperature. outerv casing is self supportmg, not relying,

upon the inner masonry structure.

The above construction of kiln enables the' While l have described my invention as a kiln for drying lumber, it is evident that the material being dried does not determine the invention and that the kiln may be used for drying other products, such, orinstance, as

` clay and plaster products. The principles set forth herein as applied to drying lumber are equally applicable to the drying of other products. l

What I claim as my invention is:

l. A continuous lumberdry kiln havin a receiving section at one end provided w1th means for discharging steam into direct contact with the lumber, a following section having an air heating chamber and air heating pipes therein and ues to produce a closed circulation through the loads of lumber, and alinal cooling section providedwith tlues and valves to produce a fresh air circulation therethrough.

2. A continuous dry kiln for lumber. having a receiving section and `steam dischargin pipes 1n said recelving sections, a section fo owlng the receiving section having a licor extending beneath the loads and air heating-pipes neath said door, the spaces beneath and above said licor havin circulation connections at both sides the said connections being above the pipes at one side the kiln andbeneath the pipes at the other side, whereby a rotary circulation passing through the lumber is secured.

3. A continuous dry kiln for lumber having a receiving section and steam discharging pipes in said receiving sections, a section followin the receiving section having a Hoor exten gbeneath the loads and air heating pipes beneath said Hoor, the spaces beneath and above said door havin circulation connections at, both sidesthe `ln, said connections being above the pipes at one side the kiln and beneath the pipes at the other side, whereby a rotary circulation passing through the lumber is secured, and a final section provided with discharge flues andair inlet flues which respectively discharge and receive the air at opposite sides of the kiln.

4. A dry kiln having a drying compartment, a heating compartment beneath the drying compartment and heating pipes in said latter compartment, iiues connecting said compartments at o posite sides of the kiln, said iiues at., one side of the kiln conneet with the heating compartment above said pipes and at the other side of the kiln beneath the pipes, whereby a closed circulation through the lumber and crosswise the kiln is obtained. Y

5. A lumber drying kiln having a lumber drying compartment provided with tracks for trucks, and a heating compartment beneath the drying compartment, the receiving end of the kiln having steam pipes discharging directly into the kiln, the remainder of the kiln having a licor between the compartmentsand heating pipes. therein disposed in a horizontal layer, iiues connecting the upper part of the heating compartment with one side of the drying compartment and ues connecting the lower part of the heatgl compartment with the other side of the 6. A lumber drying kiln having a lumber drying compartment provided with tracks for trucks, and a heating compartment beneath the compartment, the receiving end ofthe klln having steam pipes discharging directly into the kiln, the remainder of the kiln having a floor between the compartments and heating pipes therein disposed in a horizontal layer, dues connecting the upper part of the" heating compartment with one side of the drying compartment and dues connecting the lower part of the heating `compartment with the other side of the kiln,

the discharging end .of the kiln having discharging tlues at one side and fresh au' inlets at the opposite side.

7. A lumber drying kiln having a lumber drying compartment provided with tracks for trucks, and a heating compartment beneath the drying compartment, lthe recei endl of the kiln having steam pipes discharging directly into the kiln, the remainder of the kiln having a Hoor between the compartments and heating pipes there.

in disposed in a horizontal layer, ues connecting the upper part of the heating compartment with one side of the drying compertinent and ilues connecting the lower part of the heatilpncompartment with the otherv side of the the discharging end'of 'the kiln having discharging ues at one side and fresh air inlets discharging into the lower part of the heating compartment, and having no down draft flue connecting the two compartments. 8. A dry kiln havin an inner wall composed of noncombustile material, and an inclosing casing of wood construction supported independently of the inner wall.

9. A dry kiln having an inner wall composed o noncombustible building material and an inclosing casing composed of a self lll@ rie

Mit)

supporting wood construction having its skin spaced outwardly from the inner wall Wall and an inclosing casing composed of vertical studs placed against the outer surface of the inner wall and beamssupported from said posts and extending over and out of contact with the roof thereof and a skin secured to the vouter faces of the posts and beams.

13. A dry kiln having an inner wall having its sides slightly inclining inward toward the top, means for deliverin the heated air through the floor at one side of the kiln and means for withdrawing the air fliilrough .the floor at the other side oit` the toward each other toward the top, an airheating compartment beneath the floor of the drying compartment, a flue connecting the upper part of the heating compartment with the Hoor at one side' of the drying compartment, and a flue connecting the lower A dry kiln having side walls inclinedA part of the-heating compartment with the Hoor at the other side of the drying compartment. A

15. The combination with a dry kiln of an inclosing casing having its side walls composed of vertical studs and 'an outer skin and a roof comprising beams carried by Said studs and an outer rooin skin 16. The combination with a kiln having an inner Nvall which tapers inwardly toward its top, an inclosing casing having side posts each containing a vertical member and a member inclined to conform withthe inclination of the inner wall, and a roof carried by sai-d posts.

17. The combination with a dry kiln hav-A ing an inner wall which tapers inwardly toward its top, and an arched top, an inclosing casing having side posts each composed.

of vertical members. and an intermediate member inclined in conformity with the sideof the inner wall, and a roof havin beams carried by the posts, and an outer skin upon the posts and roof beams.

18. A continuous dry kiln having inner Walls provided at the discharge end of the kiln with air dischargeopenings in a side wall, and a flue connecting with said openings, and an inclosing casing of wood frame construction' having its skin spaced outwardly from the walls of the kiln proper. .c

Signed at Seattle, Washington, this 12th day of July,1917.

CARL A. :am y 

